Devices of this kind are known in dental technology (compare W. Hoffmann-Axthelm "Lexikon der Zahnmedizin", Quintessens-Verlags GmbH Berlin, 1983; "Einfuhrung in die Zahnersatzkunde", Verlag Urban und Schwarzenberg, 1975).
The jaw articulator is for simulating movements of the hinge of the jaw when dental and jaw models are inserted, and the articulator can practically completely simulate the motion of the jaws relative to one another outside the mouth. The main problem in jaw articulation is to provide an average simulation of substantially all movements of the human lower jaw relative to the upper jaw. Articulators known for this purpose have very many adjustment facilities. The adjustment is made in accordance with a pantographic (three-dimensional) recording of the individual movements of the patient's lower jaw made by the dentist. The recording is lengthy and expensive, taking about 2 to 3 hours for obtaining the information from the patient. The subsequent programming of the articulator in accordance with the pantograph takes about 3 to 5 hours.
In other known articulators, the slope of the joint path is adjustable in the sagittal direction. The motion of the condyle can also be limited, i.e. adjusted, in the transverse direction (Bennett angle). The parts of the joints in these simulators, known as Arcom articulators, are designed in accordance with anatomical conditions, i.e. the condyles are disposed on the lower part of the articulator and the condyle casing or joint box with the device for adjusting the Bennett angle are disposed on the upper part of the articulator. However, these known articulators enable the respective ball or condyle to move laterally only; in which case the straight track of the second joint box or condyle moves in the median direction. Furthermore the balls are tightly encapsulated in their boxes, and consequently do not have degrees of freedom for components of motion in other directions.